Oakheart rum was once a popular spiced rum brand, but in recent years it has become increasingly hard to find. Rum enthusiasts have been wondering, what happened to Oakheart rum and why did it disappear?
The History of Oakheart Rum
Oakheart rum was first launched in the late 1990s by the Jim Beam company. It was marketed as a higher quality spiced rum, distilled in Kentucky and made with a blend of bourbon and brandy. The rum was aged for several years in charred oak barrels, which gave it a deep amber color and rich, oaky flavor.
When it first came out, Oakheart stood apart from other spiced rums on the market. Most spiced rums are made from molasses or cane juice, whereas Oakheart boasted a unique bourbon and brandy mash bill. It was also aged longer than the average spiced rum.
Oakheart’s taste profile featured vanilla, caramel and cinnamon spices, with undertones of oak from the barrels. It was meant to appeal to bourbon drinkers looking for something a bit different. Several publications praised Oakheart as a more refined and complex spiced rum.
Thanks to its quality and smart marketing, Oakheart found success in the early 2000s. It carved out a niche as a popular rum for cocktails like the Rum Old Fashioned. For a while, Oakheart was the #2 selling spiced rum in America.
The Decline of Oakheart
In the mid-2000s, though, Oakheart’s popularity started to decline:
- Flavored rums surged in popularity, and brands like Captain Morgan and Sailor Jerry took over market share.
- Oakheart remained a premium-priced rum, which limited its growth potential.
- Jim Beam put less marketing support behind Oakheart as they focused on growing their core whisky brands.
By 2010, Oakheart was clearly waning as flavored and lower-priced spiced rums dominated the market. It went from selling 120,000 cases per year to less than 70,000 cases by 2011.
Oakheart Gets Discontinued
In 2014, after years of declining sales, Jim Beam announced they were discontinuing Oakheart rum. Some of the reasons behind the decision included:
- Oakheart’s sales had dropped to about 1/3 of its peak.
- It was unable to compete with fast-growing flavored and low-cost spiced rum brands.
- Jim Beam wanted to focus on their bourbon and whiskey brands instead.
The Oakheart brand still had loyal fans, but it was no longer profitable enough for Jim Beam to produce. So after a nearly 20 year run, Oakheart rum was finally discontinued.
Where to Find Remaining Bottles
After the announcement in 2014, stores gradually sold through their remaining stock of Oakheart rum. By 2015, the brand had completely disappeared from most liquor store shelves.
Today, Oakheart can be very difficult to find. There are a few places rum collectors or Oakheart fans may still locate a bottle:
- Online auction sites like eBay, where you’ll pay collector level pricing
- A fewonline specialty liquor stores that happen to have old bottles in stock
- Rare liquor stores that specialize in old and obscure brands
- Overseas shops in certain markets where Oakheart is still available
But supply is very limited and dwindling as the last batches of Oakheart get consumed by fans. Most regular liquor stores no longer carry it.
Discontinued Rums That Are Similar to Oakheart
While Oakheart is essentially gone, there are some discontinued rums that were similar in style and flavor profile. These may appeal to Oakheart drinkers looking to find a replacement:
| Rum | Notes |
|---|---|
| Admiral Nelson Spiced Rum | Discontinued in 2012, this was a vanilla and cinnamon spiced rum aged in oak barrels. |
| Black Tot Rum | This British Royal Navy-style spiced rum was discontinued in 1970, but has since been re-launched in limited quantities. |
| Rogue Spirits Oregon Spiced Rum | Aged in new American oak barrels, this rum brand from Oregon was discontinued around 2010. |
While not exact replacements, these rum brands had similar spiced flavor profiles and emphasis on aging in oak barrels. Their limited availability also makes them collector’s items for rum enthusiasts.
Why Oakheart Rum Was Discontinued
So what ultimately led to the demise of Oakheart rum? There were a few key factors:
1. Shift in Consumer Tastes
Flavored rums surged in popularity in the 2000s. Drinkers, especially younger ones, favored sweeter, flavored rums like Captain Morgan over Oakheart’s more refined, oak-aged taste profile. Oakheart simply fell out of favor with mainstream consumers.
2. High Price Point
As a premium aged rum, Oakheart always commanded a high price point, typically $2-3 higher than value-priced spiced rums. This made the brand less accessible. Price-sensitive drinkers opted for cheaper alternatives.
3. Lack of Marketing Investment
With flavored rums dominating, Jim Beam put little marketing support behind Oakheart in its later years. Lack of advertising and brand building exacerbated its decline.
4. Shift in Company Focus
As Oakheart’s sales dwindled, Jim Beam chose to allocate resources to their faster growing whiskey brands instead. They discontinued slower selling brands like Oakheart to focus on more profitable products.
Could Oakheart Rum Make a Comeback?
Could Jim Beam ever decide to bring Oakheart rum back in the future? It seems unlikely, but potentially possible if:
- Nostalgia for retro brands continues growing. Jim Beam could play on Oakheart’s legacy and “cult classic” status.
- Younger consumers rediscover an appreciation for quality, oak-aged rums. The flavored rum boom seems to be fading.
- Jim Beam launches a broader portfolio of rum brands and sees opportunity in premium rum segments.
For now, though, the Oakheart rum brand remains retired. Jim Beam has shown no signs of reviving it. While nostalgic Oakheart fans still search for those last elusive bottles, most have accepted that this quality spiced rum has receded into history.
Conclusion
Oakheart rum was a popular premium spiced rum in the early 2000s, known for its rich oak-aged flavor. But as consumer tastes shifted and flavored rums came to dominate the market, Oakheart’s sales declined sharply. In 2014, Jim Beam decided to discontinue the Oakheart brand after nearly 20 years on the market.
Supplies of Oakheart are now very limited as old bottles become prized collectors’ items. While a revival seems unlikely in the short term, Oakheart still holds a special place as a quality rum brand with a passionate fan base. For those able to find one, an Oakheart rum bottle remains a taste of history.